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From the Principal

As the Pembroke Hill early childhood school principal, I want to extend a personal invitation for you to visit us and discover a school that is passionate about early childhood education. Our school is a place where the extraordinary is the ordinary. It is a community of highly qualified teachers and committed families working together, united in our goal of providing the very best education to children.

The Pembroke Hill early childhood school is guided by the world-renowned Reggio Emilia approach of education. At the heart of this philosophy is the image of each child as a competent, capable, and curious individual full of potential. Our teachers honor this curiosity and natural desire to learn by encouraging their young students to wonder, ask questions, create hypotheses, and search for answers.

Because we know children construct knowledge through hands-on experiences, we use the Project Approach as a framework for our curriculum. Each class engages in an in-depth study of a topic based on the children’s interest. This integrated approach supports the development of the skills children need for academic success.

Over the past year, projects have included investigations of shadows, weather and the pond. Visit a classroom and you might see a prekindergarten child drawing and labeling the parts of a bee, a preschool child making a clay representation of a cicada or a two year old investigating cause and effect at the sand table.

When you visit, you will see beautiful classrooms that are home-like and inviting. Teachers have thoughtfully selected materials that support a full range of learning experiences.

Open communication is a value in which we strongly believe. Our teachers collect daily observations and document the children’s learning. Each day, families receive an e-mailed Daily Journal packed with photographs and information that shares an aspect of the day’s learning. Teachers meet with families to share thorough individual portfolios and assessments that detail development of ­­­skills and learning. Conversations about insights, comments or concerns are always welcomed and encouraged.

PHS families are considered a vital part of the classroom community. While touring our school, you will very likely see a parent reading to a class, sharing expertise, leading an activity or accompanying a class on a field trip. We understand parents are a child’s first teacher and that while each of our teachers is an expert on the education of young children, each family is an expert on their child. Together, teachers and families plan individual goals for the child.

Respect and empathy are important and modeled continually by the teachers. At Pembroke Hill our young students learn what it means to be part of community. They learn how to help one another, listen, solve problems and look at issues from another’s perspective.

Our teachers recognize that a safe, warm and nurturing community is vital in early childhood education. Throughout the building, throughout the day, you will discover teachers on the child’s level, actively listening, questioning, responding and engaging with children. You will see Pembroke Hill early childhood students working together, exploring, making connections, solving problems, communicating, learning and building a strong foundation for the future.

I encourage you to visit and see for yourself how truly extraordinary our school is. You may contact Laura Linn, at 816-936-1230 or llinn@pembrokehill.org to set up a time to visit our program. I look forward to meeting you and sharing our wonderful early education program with you and your family.